A professional geologist, Louise Hose has explored and studied caves throughout the world for over 50 years. National Geographic has twice featured her work. She earned a PhD in geology at Louisiana State University and spent most of her early career as a professor at the Westminster College-Missouri, University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, and Chapman University. She finished her career as a Senior Scientist for the National Park Service where her initial responsibilities were to develop and operate the National Cave and Karst Research Institute. She later worked in D.C. as a Special Assistant to the Associate Director for Natural Resources, ran the Gulf Coast CESU, and was the NPS’s staff representative to President Obama's Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force.
Now (mostly) retired, she continues contract and volunteer work in cave sciences. She was selected as a Trustee of the Foundation in 2022 and currently serves as treasurer.
The dual challenges of protecting caves as well as our access to caves continue to grow. The role of the National Speleological Society must also grow to meet these concerns. The foundation works to strengthen this mission by responsibly investing the financial capital of the society and other cave-related partners. Including the NSS Permanent Endowment Fund in your annual gifting and estate planning helps ensure the society's role as the leading, effective advocate for caves and cavers. - Louise Hose